THE IRISH Pensions Board has brought a High Court case against a construction company over its alleged failure to pay contributions of more than €180,000 to a pension fund on behalf of almost 200 workers over 14 months.
In the first such application by the board, it wants orders to compel Limestone Construction Ltd to pay money which the board claimed the firm owes to the pension fund.
The board claims payments were not made by the company to the workers' pension fund from mid-June 2006 to September 2007. It claims the contributions owed are due from deductions from workers' pay and from employer's contributions.
Yesterday, Úna Tighe, for the board, said it had brought the action because of concerns over Limestone Construction's financial situation. The board had become concerned over the fact that a number of High Court actions had been brought against Limestone Construction.
Counsel said an investigation by the board had revealed the company has failed to contribute €186,000 to its workers' pension fund.
In an affidavit, Mary Hutch, head of investigations and compliance with the board, said it had concerns the company was not paying creditors and owed "a substantial amount of money".
The board had learned from a report in the media on February 25th that the High Court had made an order requiring two directors of the company, Colm and Martina McNulty, of Kilreesk Lane, St Margaret's, Co Dublin, to pay €1.8 million to meet debts due by Limestone Construction.
The board also had concerns over the finding that Limestone Construction's employees appeared to have been transferred to another company. The board's investigation had revealed that workers with the firm had started to receive pay slips from another construction company.
When the board made its demands to the company and informed it of the intention to bring court proceedings, the firm had "failed to respond", the court was told. The company was not represented in court yesterday.
Ms Justice Mary Laffoy said there was "some urgency" in the matter, and listed the case for hearing on March 31st.